Tag Archives: Windows Store

Microsoft to ship Windows 8.1 in mid-October

The OS update will show up on the Windows Store on Oct. 17 and in retail stores the next day

The much-anticipated update for Windows 8 will begin shipping on Oct. 17, delivering a set of changes that Microsoft hopes will calm critics and improve sales of the tablet-optimized OS.

Windows 8.1, previously known as Windows Blue, will be available as a free update for Windows 8 users via the Windows Store that day starting at 4 a.m. U.S. Pacific time. On Oct. 18, it will surface on retail stores and on new devices.

“It’s very exciting to be delivering Windows 8.1 to consumers just before Windows 8 celebrates its 1-year anniversary. You can expect to read more from us on Windows 8.1 leading up to availability on October 18th,” wrote Microsoft official Brandon LeBlanc in a blog post.

Microsoft did not mention when Windows 8.1 will ship to hardware manufacturers, the so-called RTM date.

Windows 8 shipped in late October of last year and was billed by Microsoft executives as one of the most important product launches in the company’s history.

With its radically redesigned user interface optimized for tablets and other touchscreen devices, Windows 8 is Microsoft’s attempt to improve the OS’ dismal share in the tablet OS market currently dominated by Apple’s iPad and Android devices.

But the Modern tile-based interface, modeled after the Windows Phone interface, has met with mixed reviews both among consumers and enterprises.

In fact, one of the main changes in Windows 8.1 is the addition of something very close to the Windows 7 Start button, whose removal in Windows 8 led to an outcry among users.

With Windows 8.1, Microsoft will also attempt to smooth the interaction between the new Modern interface and the more traditional Windows 7-like desktop which lets users run legacy applications. For example, it will be possible for users to boot directly to the traditional desktop interface.

Windows 8.1 will also let users view all the applications installed on their device and sort them by name, date installed, most used or category. Other enhancements include an improved search engine powered by Bing that will return results from a variety of sources, including the Web, applications, local files and the SkyDrive cloud storage service.

Windows 8.1 also adds options for seeing multiple applications on the screen simultaneously, including the ability to resize apps, for improved multitasking. Internet Explorer 11, a new version of Microsoft’s browser, will also ship with Windows 8.1, featuring faster page loading and better performance in touchscreen mode, according to the company.

Windows 8.1 users will also be able to make a Skype call and take photos with the Windows 8.1 device while the screen is in Lock mode without having to log in. Users will also be able to select multiple applications at once and do bulk actions on them, like resizing, uninstalling and rearranging them.

“Certainly, this release is critical for Microsoft. But getting people to move to Windows 8 and thinking of the devices as tablets requires apps, and the lack of Office for ‘Metro’ is still a real problem,” said Gartner analyst Michael Silver, referring to the Modern interface by its earlier Metro code name.

According to Silver, IE 11 will be the biggest inhibitor to migration to Windows 8.1 among businesses. “Organizations are having trouble getting past IE8; not as much trouble as they had getting past IE6, but enough to make them think twice about moving beyond Windows 7,” Silver said.

Companies will also think twice about switching to Windows 8.1 because of the possibility that another major update with a new version of IE may be released next year, and then the equivalent of Windows 9 coming possibly a year after that, he said.

“Microsoft wants to move to this continuous cycle, but organizations don’t trust Microsoft for application compatibility yet and aren’t ready to embrace that cadence,” Silver said.

 


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Windows 8 Update: Operating system is cooked, sent to manufacturers

Also, Microsoft knows Surface is ticking off the OEMs, Windows Store is open to third-party apps

Businesses seriously considering Windows 8 can get a copy of the final version starting Aug. 15 so long as they have a subscription to TechNet, Microsoft’s resource for technical information.

This means they can test and evaluate the product in order to make decisions about when and if to migrate to the new platform, which officially launches Oct. 26.

 

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Businesses without a TechNet subscription can get the final Windows 8 version Aug. 16 if they have a current Microsoft Software Assurance contract. The software will be accessible via the Microsoft Volume License Service Center. On the same day, the software will become available to Microsoft Partner Network members.

On Aug. 20, Windows 8 access is given to Microsoft Action Pack Providers who build services and products around Microsoft products. On Sept. 1, volume license customers that don’t have Software Assurance contracts can get Windows 8 via Microsoft Volume License Resellers.

Beyond all these upcoming deadlines, Microsoft this week officially released the final Windows 8 build to manufacturers, meaning they can start installing it on Windows 8 hardware, prepping for the official launch when devices with the operating system loaded go on sale.

This is just the start of a potentially busy time for Microsoft customers. Also released to manufacturer this week were Windows Server 2012 and Internet Explorer 10, both of which are also of interest to Microsoft shops. Server 2012 launches Sept. 4 and anchors what Microsoft describes as a cloud operating system. This is a tight integration between Server 2012 and Microsoft’s Azure cloud services, making it simpler to set up flexible data centers using traditional corporate infrastructure, private clouds and public clouds.

In a filing with the Security and Exchange Commission Microsoft stated the obvious — that selling its own Surface laptop/tablets will make its OEMs very unhappy.

“Our PC hardware products face competition from computer and other hardware manufacturers, many of which are also current or potential partners,” the Form 10-K says. “In addition, our Surface devices will compete with products made by our OEM partners, which may affect their commitment to our platform.”

That sounds like Microsoft expects the OEMs to be less than enthusiastic about slapping Microsoft operating systems on the hardware they make — not a good frame of mind for them to have if you’re launching a new operating system that depends in large part on OEMs licensing a lot of the software.
Windows Store opens for apps

Along with the release of the final version of Windows 8, the Windows Store is now accepting Metro-style applications from developers. There is a vetting process by Microsoft to approve any app that is accepted for sale in the store with the idea that if properly written, Metro apps will work well on Windows 8 machines, won’t slow them down and will be less likely to contain malware.

Note: In order to submit to the store, developers must have the release to manufacturer version of Windows 8.
iPad may be the default holiday gift

The excitement over Windows 8 on tablets may do more to confuse customers than it will do to actually sell the devices, according to an IDC report on the sale of iPads in Q2 of this year.

iPads crushed the competition, scoring 68.2% of all tablet shipments, the research firm says. With the iPad, Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet already available, and then Windows 8 and Windows RT devices going on sale in October, consumers may become confused.

“If anything, there’s a real risk that people will have too many options from which to choose this holiday season,” says Bob O’Donnell, IDC’s program vice president for clients and displays. “Consumers baffled by the differences between Amazon and Google versions of Android, or Windows 8 and Windows RT, may well default to market leader Apple. Or they may simply choose to remain on the sideline for another cycle.”

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